Time Frame (Split Second Book 2)

Like many others here, I thought Split Second was amazing and an excellent book. I was looking forward to this sequel. I think it is, at best, OK - thus three stars. There are plenty of twist and turns and action sequences, but overall it fell flat for me. A couple of specific examples (spoiler alert):

There were several instances like the one where Jenna gave her presentation on how to approach the ethics of extended time travel and everybody was "so amazed" at how incredible and well thought through her plan was, and that they had "never thought of that before". The book consistently telling me how great the good guys were or how awful the bad guys were became annoying.

Secondly, the decision to duplicate story characters repeatedly, and seemingly without limit, to achieve goals seemed contrived and became the easy out for resolving plot issues or sticky circumstances. If someone was killed you could never really be shocked or saddened (or jubilant) because it was quite likely just a copy. It cheapened the effect and the science.

The twist on Jenna & Aaron was clever.

Overall I enjoyed it, but found myself reading through more quickly as I got closer to the end, not because it was riveting but because I wanted to just see what happened.

Douglas E. Richards is a really nice guy who writes seriously entertaining techno-thrillers that are really interesting. I was hooked with his book WIRED and have read everything he's written, including books labeled for juveniles. TIME FRAME, a sequel to SPLIT SECOND, was spellbinding. This one had so many plot twists, one could get dizzy, but was entirely coherent throughout, while leaving me breathless. With interruptions for meals, emergency room visit and pinochle, it took me two days to read it all. And I can't wait for Richards' next book. As a technophile, I really appreciate the fact that Richards takes the time to do a fact vs. fiction section at the end that is intellectually as satisfying on its own as the novel's plot was. Thank you, Doug.

I love Douglas E. Richards. He writes fun-to-read speculative fiction that likes to tackle ethical and moral issues. This book, second in the "Split Second" series is no exception - but it is also not particularly exceptional. Though I believe the author strives for a reasonably balanced political perspective, there are times when his writing gets troublingly hawkish and jingoistic. I found that more so in this book, in which ethically questionable actions receive an undue amoutn (from my perspective) of rationalization. Also, I have written before about the prevalence of "infodumps" in Richards' writing. Sometimes, the very nature of how Richards writes requires them, and sometimes they are justifiable and not just lazy writing. I can usually get through them, but in this particular book I really started to find all the infodumps annoying. It was as if the author felt he needed to explain every plot twist lest the reader find them unbelievable. Trust us, Douglas. You already provided end notes to help explain some of the speculative science, and you could just as easily have used those to cover potential reader disbelief. Also, I found the book had a bit more gratuitous violence. There are ways to portray people as truly evil without putting really gross and disturbing pictures in the minds of your readers. I will keep reading Richards' books. He is a good author. He does his homework. He picks interesting ideas to weave into interesting stories. They just can't all be four or five star books, and for me, this one just wasn't.

Another excellent book from author Douglas E. Richards! This is the second installment in the series which began with Split Second, one of the most popular books on the store. The book is an entertaining experience with characters we are glad to see once more fighting bad guys and saving the world with hi-tech science, grit, and teamwork. You get it all: non-stop action, smart characters, and a healthy dose of bleeding-edge and speculative science and technology. I also always enjoy reading Douglas Richard's notes that follow his stories. I've read every one of his books and can't wait for the next one! FYI: I listened to the Audible version of this book and it was a great performance by Kevin Pariseau too.

Time Frame continues the premise of its predecessor book that a gifted young scientist has figured out a way to utilize dark energy in order to travel back in time a small fraction of a second. Doing so creates an exact duplicate of whatever or whomever is sent back. As a result of the movement of the earth through space, the duplicate seems to appear magically in a different location, 58 feet from ground zero. Duplicates can be made at will with no limit to the number and in the case of a human that person has all the memories, characteristics, etc., of the original. This can create some intricate and sometimes confusing plot lines, but to Mr. Richards credit, he keeps the story moving logically if the reader makes the necessary leap of faith. Duplicates of both good guys and bad guys are created and killed off at a rapid rate. There is a love triangle involving the heroine and two of the good guys with a novel, but somewhat predictable solution. Action scenes abound and the bad guys have no redeeming qualities. It is somewhat troubling that human life is held in such low regard. After all, the duplicates are human in every way but are routinely tortured and killed by friend or foe. My only complaint about the book is the dialogue gets somewhat stilted at times. Otherwise this is an entertaining read with concepts explored that, when thought about, will make your head hurt, but in a good way.

OK, so I just finished binge reading 5 Douglas Richards books Split Second, Time Frame, Quantum Lens, Infinity Born, and Mind War (Nick Hall Book 3). I read the first 2 Nick Hall books years ago and got sidetracked reading a bunch of 99 cent specials. OK, I got hooked on several of the books and binged on the subsequent series… So, I like reading much more than I like writing, so I usually don’t write a review unless I like/really like the book. I really like these books and I love Douglas’ writing style. First, there are no typos or glaring science errors. In fact, the author goes out of his way to explain the science and the leaps of faith at the end of his books. The books are worth the cost, if just for the explanations at the end, to include references to other reading that support his theories/story. Remember after all, this is science fiction not science fact so there is some suspension of what we currently know. Douglas’ writing causes me to think and will often teach me a little something along the way. I love that. Reading is about learning and enjoying and I get both here.
OK, so this review is for Time Frame. I had a difficult time putting it down. I just had a tooth pulled and a bone graft over Memorial Day weekend so I wasn’t going anywhere fast, so the timing was perfect. I will admit that I saw the first surprise coming. It wasn’t all that difficult to figure out, but it was fun watching it unfold. I like that the girl gets her love back, but the girl also gets her hero and she doesn’t have to cheat on either – miracle of time travel. Read to book to find out how. So far there are only two books, I wouldn’t mind seeing another in this universe.

Loved both the books but especially Time Frame. I am a biology/chemistry major. Also a science teacher for 30+ years. I have found all the things talked about fascinating and try hard to keep up with current finds altho it multiplies faster every day. Physics is my weakest subject but it is explained so well in Douglas's books i can understand it far better than i thot i would. It also explained some of the books I have read and some things I learned in school much better. I hope he has more coming in the series. I like to tell my studenta i grew up on science fiction that is now reality. I read about tiny hand help devices that would transmit voice and pictures all over and allow the user to look up and see and read anything known. Never thot I would live to see a device like that. And the kids are like wow. And I pull out my cell phone and say here it is and it's just the beginning. Thanks Douglas for furthering my education and entertaining me at the same time

The premise of Split Second, the first book in the series is original and very interesting: Suppose time travel occurred in an extremely short trip to the past - like 45 milliseconds into the past? The implications are imaginative and Richards has a lot of fun playing with the intrigue of the wrong people knowing the wrong things about this...weapon? Gift?

But then in Time Frame, things get pretty muddy. Instead of the tight, action-oriented plot of the first book, we get whole chapters trying to explain why a female character might find herself attracted to a "bad boy" male character, even though she's married to someone else. Hint: we readers don't really need the explanation. This, plus several other tangents of description and dialogue, make the second book much less dense and interesting.

The first book had a little less conversation and a little more action, to quote Elvis. Too bad the second book couldn't maintain that template.

Douglas Richards has done it again. As an indie author, he’s dominated the technothriller charts with fast-paced, well-researched tales that extend our understanding of what lies just around the corner while providing satisfying, pulse-quickening, high-stakes storylines.

In “Time Frame,” you’ll find a large cast of unsympathetic but credible, fascinating, hard-charging characters committing heinous acts when they’re not discoursing on military history (Truman’s impossible choices in deciding whether to use atomic weapons), exotic weaponry (octanitrocubane), physics (dark matter, the fifth dimension), new tech (smart contact lenses), time travel (is it really against the laws of physics if you travel back in time and encounter an earlier you?) and, my favorite, an extended explanation of what really happens to your body when you use the transporter beam in “Star Trek” (it’s not pretty).

The most unexpected plot twists involve force multipliers, the ability to duplicate henchmen and soldiers to carry out schemes, leading up to an audacious plan to capture North Korea’s dictator.

I would love to see the author’s magazine subscription list to see where he came up with the science that undergirds “Time Frame,” but he rewards us near-future science geeks with a long Author’s Note that basically tells us, “yep, I didn’t just make up this stuff, and here is why you may be reading about some of this in tomorrow’s headlines.”

Another great book from Douglas Richards. I love how he uses cutting edge technology in his near future science fiction. The characters are realistic and it is fun to watch them struggle with the ethical delimas that the technology brings. While this is the second book with these characters, Richards write each of his books as stand alone books, so you can enjoy them in any order.

I’d also strongly recommend reading his Nick Hall series.

Those of you who are familiar with Douglas E Richards work will NOT be disappointed! This book is just as fascinating, rivioting and thought provoking as all of his other work. Those of you that are contemplating this as your first experience with this author, dive in, you won't regret it! While this book is designed to be stand alone, to get the most out of it, read SPLIT SECOND first and double your pleasure!

I liked the book's premise - the scientific premise of using time travel and duplicates, time field suppressors, etc - and I found the overall plot and the geopolitical speculation interesting and satisfying.
But the subplots and their resolutions were so cliche and predictable it felt like watching a C rated action movie filled with bad actors - with the occasional surprise that makes you feel a bit less guilty for spending your time on it.
The dialogue followed logically, but it was also often so ridiculously cliche that I felt embarrassed to be reading it.
If you're really into (mostly) superficial action thrillers you'll probably like it. But if you've just finished a Neil Stephenson or Cixin Lu book, give yourself some time before coming to this one.
Btw the Split Second book (the first part of this two part series) was more readable and somehow a bit less cliche.

The protagonists and their many duplications continue to battle it out in this sequel. I've given 4 stars because there appears to be a loss of intensity in the writing with all the duplications that occur and the previously painted bad guys not being so anymore. Maybe that loss of intensity is the seeming change of form from being strongly anti-government in Book 1 to pro-democracy in Book 2 - the President painted as weak in Bk 1, strong in Book 2; from an extreme head of black ops weapons programme to a firm anti-militarist killing off weapons research. The characters extremely strongly held views changed too dramatically for me (though I do prefer their views in book 2). I would love to read books that explore the inter-stellar exploration hinted at in these novels.

I loved Split Second. In addition to being a well written thriller, it spoke to me about the ethical problems with advanced technologies. It was refreshing to read a thriller that had, at the heart of it, a devotion to science, but asked a powerful question: Because you have the ability to do a thing, does your the morality stand strong enough to not do a thing?

This is a real question, faced by scientists daily. Cloning, genetic modifications, more terrible munitions. I can do it; but should I?
Split Second asked those hard questions in desperation. I believe that was what made it a great book.

I couldn't finish Time Frame. The characters who handled those moral dilemmas with conscious will and great grace in Split Second have decided to use their wondrous technological advance to conduct an assassination. I was so excited about the book, I didn't even read the description before I downloaded this one. Since the time frame in 'Time Frame' is immediately after the first book, in the span of that short time the leaders that handled the moral dilemma so reluctantly have now become social justice avengers, acting as judge, jury and a well intentioned assassin, killing for greater good. That they embark on this path with hand wringing - and jokes - makes this nothing more than a techno thriller. Split Second was so much more.

I will finish the book. But my excitement has been dimmed. Techno-thriller vigilante is not really my thing.

UPDATE: I have finished the book. My first impression remains. I found the ethical dilemma to be inconsistently handled throughout the book. There is a particular scene where one of the principals is making the comment about protecting his group from the expected misdeeds of a former Director who doesn't have the same wonderful ethics. He is interrupted to take a call from his unsanctioned, private assassin who is having difficulties in the foreign country he has unlawfully entered to kill the head of state. Completing the phone call, he returns to his "my ethics are superior to yours" conversation.

Write a thriller, I'm fine with that. But don't almost ALL bad guys think they are the only good guys? Why push the ethical and moral so hard if the end point becomes "Because we kill only bad guys"? Again, Disappointing.

Given all characters but one (Kim Jung-un) are fictitious, I think the story would have been just as effective if all were. Thank God Trump wasn't the name of the ficticious American president; can't imagine Q5 and other black ops groups reading him in. I did love all the twists, though it was rather weak on the "science" part of fiction. Spoiler alert... Editorial note: page 375 "This room contains the only living versions of Cargill, Wexler, and Tini." Might want to check that; this rooms versions of Daniel Tini and Joe Allen were shot dead.

I liked the predecessor, SPLIT SECOND, a lot and would probably like
TIME FRAME muchly, too, but the Kindle edition did not allow me to
go back and forth by chapters, rather than only a page at a time, and this
gets very awkward, especially if you lose your place. Can't exactly blame
the author, but perhaps this mediocre rating will get his attention and he will assure
that other Kindle editions don't have this problem.

Having significant education in college Physics; String Theory; and time travel theory, I found this book and his companion novel to be absolutely, wonderfully entertaining in every respect. The "real" theory is spot on. And even the fictional theory is so plausible that you get caught up in the possibility that this could be real.

Like a good dinner at a fine restaurant, it makes you want more. I can see this story thread expanding into novel after novel, all of which I would be eagerly waiting for the next installment, while I am re-reading the first novel to see what I missed. Thank you Mr. Richards for a wonderful book. Please keep it up.`

Yeah wow! Another utterly spell-binding page turner about Time Travel by master story teller Douglas E. Richards!
The very best the hi tech scifi thriller genre has to offer! Philosophical. Visionary. Unstoppable.
As brilliant and unexpected as Wired, Amped, and his other must read books! If you like Michael Crichton, Dan Brown, and David Mack‘s Star Trek Trilogies - you‘ll LOVE Douglas E. Richards!

Douglas E. Richards is one of the most outstanding authors I've ever read. In addition to being a gifted storyteller, he is one of the most talented teachers I've ever encountered. He has the ability to explain complex mathematics, science, and philosophies to almost any reader.

This was an an exceptionally well written book. Richards always amazes me with his knowledge and basing his books on truth combined with science fiction. This book was no exception. The Q5 team has out done themselves. Their use of split second time travel and nifty gadgets give them quite an edge. Resulting in a book that was exciting, action packed, and informative. Read this series of two books. You won't regret it.

This is Richard's second book about time travel. Although, it seems to be more about duplication and/or teleportation than about time travel. Overall, I like this sequel more, although sometimes it's difficult to follow the plot because of the duplication of the main characters during time travel for a split second.

I have always loved physics, biology and the idea of time being moveable or fluid. To say this gave me food for thought is like saying a buffet for the queen and her party of 100 was given to a bum on the street who had not eaten in 5 days.

I obviously recommend this book.

You've done it again Douglas! Another perfect read for us lovers of the Written Word. I loved this sequel as much if not more than Split Second. My favorite part is the Fact or Fiction at the end. I can't get enough. Please get on your computer and crank out Another BEST SELLER! We love you And your work. Bravo!!!!

Love the book. It has well developed characters involved in a fast paced story. The author has been able to include lots of high level science in a way that is easy for a regular person to understand or at least imagine. Liked the notes at the end which introduces the basis for ideas used in the book.

Richard is one of my favorite writers. He has an amazing mind and it makes his stories so interesting and compelling . Time frame was so good I didn't want it to end. Possible spoiler - Speaking of endings, this one finishes with a flourish and hope for an amazing offshoot story. Enjoy!

Douglas never disappoints. This is another great read that takes you on the journey to keep the world safe and to stimulate your thirst for ground breaking scientific discovery. He never fails to draw me into the threats, the characters, and the possibilities that science presents. I can't wait for his next offering. Write faster Doug!

Could not finish reading it. Repetitive, non-believable characters. Ethically challenged bs. I like Mr Richards books I have read so far, but this is a disaster. A waste of a good time travel concept.

This book is based on a very creative expression of an old idea: time travel & teleportation. It is well written and thought provoking. However, at times it forces the reader to suspend beliefs. All in all a good rear and worth your time in this dimension!

Though it dragged at the beginning, I flew through the last half of this book. Richards` plot twists are incredible and impossible to predict. I great follow up to the first. I just hope there is a third.

This is an exciting science fiction thriller. You will not be disappointed! This is the seventh D.E.Richards book I have read. They were all just as great as the first! There are six more I haven't read yet and can't wait to start the next.

This is an exciting science fiction thriller. You will not be disappointed! This is the seventh D.E.Richards book I have read. They were all just as great as the first! There are six more I haven't read yet and can't wait to start the next.